


You Love Me Right Is A Stupid Question

by otakuashels



Series: To the Nexus and Beyond [2]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Cultural Differences, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Love, One Shot Collection, Relationship(s), Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 22:15:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10863165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/otakuashels/pseuds/otakuashels
Summary: While Cora, Suvi, Kallo, and Lexi had all expressed a sense of mutual enjoyment the rest of the crew had seemed less enthralled. Liam had gone as far to mutter, “and of course we get stuck with the one pathfinder that is a bloody hipster” Jaal had logged that word away for further research after Ryder had stomped on Liam’s foot, promptly instructing him to ‘fuck off.'





	You Love Me Right Is A Stupid Question

“So this shop of coffee,” Jaal said slowly, smiling when Ryder laughed in response.

“Close Jaal. It's called a coffee shop.” Ryder smiled at him, over a steaming cup, the heat flushing her pale skin further. The pathfinder's team had returned hours ago from aiding the Charlatan's controversial plans on Kadara once again. Covered in the ever persistent dirt and the stench of sulfur Ryder had expressed her desire to do nothing else but wash and curl up at a coffee shop with good conversation followed by a book. Her verbalization had been received by a myriad of reactions that had sparked Jaal’s interest. While Cora, Suvi, Kallo, and Lexi had all expressed a sense of mutual enjoyment the rest of the crew had seemed less enthralled. Liam had gone as far to mutter, “and of course we get stuck with the one pathfinder that is a bloody hipster” Jaal had logged that word away for further research after Ryder had stomped on Liam’s foot, promptly instructing him to ‘fuck off.' Despite his curiosity Jaal had waited patiently to question the human Pathfinder. His Darling One often took an hour after each mission to ‘decompress’ as she called it with a shower and music in her personal quarters. So the Angara had distracted himself with changing, managing checkups on the Nomad with Gil and “shooting the breeze” with Drack, as Liam called it, before making his way to Ryder’s quarters.

Stepping inside Jaal found himself privy to the sight of the usually static woman sprawled across her bed sheets in an overlarge t-shirt and shorts. Synthetically rose colored hair wet and leaving marks across the sheets as she hummed along to wordless music. Looking up she gave him a lazy, welcoming smile. “Darling One”

“Better?” the Angara found himself returning the smile.

“You love me right?”

“Yes. I thought we had exchanged declarations” Jaal felt a rise of bio-electricity rise to the top of his skin in alarm. She had always claimed that the Angara were so open with their emotions and yet she was questioning his adoration? Had he, for the first time in his life, not been clear with how he felt!? Had he messed up that astronomically to make her doubt him?!

“Hey, big boy calm down. Jaal, culture barrier” Ryder sat up quickly as she recognized alarm flitting across his features. Crossing her arms in front of her in the shape of an X she shook her head. “I did not mean that in the literal sense.”

“Then why would you ask that?” Jaal found himself more confused than ever. Why would humans think that was appropriate unless it was true. Compared to Angara humans had a tendency to be emotionally stunted in his opinion but to question something of that importance when not meaning it? Why would one do that to another?! Ryder’s cheeks puffed out, before exhaling slowly. A habit she often had when thinking about how to explain culture conflicts or questions between humans and Angara.

“Okay, so I guess….people ask that question to kind of alert another than they have done something wrong or need something,” Ryder said slowly, lowering her arms, her expression twisting into confusion. “Oh, my goodness...wow that is stupid. Why do we do that?” she asked of herself. Shaking her head, she continued on with an example. “Alright, so say that I needed to...take the nomad out for a random drive and I knew I was going out to do tricks and stuff that would damage it. And Gil had just finished painstaking hours of repairs from our last missions. I would approach him and would say ‘Hey Gil you love me right?’ And this would alert Gil that I was about to ask him for something. Typically another human would respond ‘Yes, why’ which translates to yes, of course, means ‘Yes and I love you not what do you want?’ or ‘I am going to regret this huh?’ and then I ask the question” Ryder explained, a look of disbelief on her face. Jaal found himself feeling just as confused.

“And why can humans just not go in and ask what they want directly without having to question another's affections?”

“Because we are convoluted and emotionally inept” Ryder answered flatly. Raking her hand through her shoulder length hair, she shrugged as Jaal shook his head in amusement. “Alright let's try this again.” she grinned, eyes as shade of pink that was identical to the coloring of his skin focused once again on him “I know you love me. So could you help me out and grab my coffee?” Ryder pointed to her computer. Peering over his shoulder, Jaal noticed what appeared to be a different cup of hot liquid, if the rising steam was an indication, sitting in front of her keyboard.

“Of course darling one.” Walking across the metal paneled floor he picked up the container, it felt vastly different from the other cups on the Tempest.

“It is a coffee mug, made of glass. My mother always had a cup of coffee from one particular mug. Every morning for as long as I can remember. I picked up the habit. That is the same cup I took on all my digs at Prothean sites, and one of the few things I brought with me from the Milky Way” she explained as he brought it over to her. “Hey!” she frowned, reaching out for the cup as he sat on the gray sheeted bed, only to have it held out of her reach.

“You love me right?”

“Ah! Jaal!” Ryder laughed at him in amusement and disbelief. “You are getting better at human teasing.” she grinned “Yes, I love you. Now what do you need?” she laughed.

“A kiss would be an appropriate payment.”

“Eh close. You almost got the hang of it.” She grinned leaning forward. Leaning in to help close the distance a rumble of approval rolled in the back of his throat. Kissing Ryder was vastly different than kissing another Angaran female. But it was no less enjoyable, rather far more. While humans may be less open with their emotions, that seemed to not translate to their sex lives. He had never lain with any other female that had been as vocal as Ryder . He had wondered if it had been limited to their first time on Aya, but he had been proven wrong. He had developed a quick appreciation for the fact that SAM had the ability to soundproof whatever room they were, occupying, on the Tempest. Pulling back Jaal relented, handing her the coffee mug. It was painted with a collection of flowers and other sorts of greenery that Jaal assumed was native to the Milky Way galaxy. Her hands, although having what Ryder assured him were long fingers wrapped around the cup in a snug manner, tips barely reaching around its front. That had led to his current situation. "SAM pull up whatever the Nexus database has on coffee shops. Images please."

"Interesting. So it is another term for restaurants?"

"Kind of" Ryder shrugged, taking a sip, only to wince and blow on the drink. "Too hot still....so coffee shops typically serve variations on coffee and tea and then what we call cafe foods." she didn't need to prompt SAM to filter those images, and Jaal watched as they scrolled through the pictures on her omni tool. "Now I prefer ones that are kind of homey, usually having used books lining the wall." new images scrolled by as she took another sip, this time seemingly approving of the temperature. "I liked to go there to relax, catch up or organize research. Catch up with friends or just sit and people watch." she pressed her heels together, drawing them close to her body. 

"So you have a type of restaurants specifically created for those activities. Interesting."

"It's no different from Aya really. You have your bar, and then you have that restaurant just off the marketplace." she shut her omni tool down, leaning against her headboard, a sign that Jaal had realized meant that she was relaxed and comfortable.

"And do these specific establishments. These 'Coffee Shops' attract certain crowds. Such as what Liam called 'Hipster'?" Jaal briefly considered that it may have not been the smartest question to ask as his lover gave him what Lexi had told him was a 'deadpanned' look.

"I'm gonna shove Kosta out the airlock."


End file.
